The Big Day - Thursday, July 8, 2010

The day started out with beautiful sunshine and it couldn't have been better for the two events taking place. It was a suit and best dress day for us, so after our showers, breakfast, scriptures, and prayers, we left for the office with great excitement and anticipation. Today we were receiving a new Mission President, and a couple in our Virreyes branch were getting married.

When we arrived at the office, first on the agenda was to tidy it up for the arrival of the Gulbrandsens. Our regular cleaning guy didn't come last week nor this week, so we went over to the church and borrowed the vacuum, swept some areas, emptied garbage cans, and cleared away unnecessary clutter from our desks and nearby. It wasn't super messy, but we wanted to make sure just in case.

Then at 12:00 we wanted to attend the wedding ceremony of a couple in our branch. Most ceremonies take place in a public building called a Civil Registry. We have heard about them, but have never witnessed a wedding.

We were ushered to a small area behind the entrance lobby where there were only few seats. We had to waited outside until the wedding party before us exited.

We were in the wrong spot to take a front view of the couple as they signed the civil registry, but it was a big photo opportunity for others.

The blonde head at the left is the judge or person who married them. She said a few things from a book, then they exchanged rings, kissed, and greeted people. Everyone rushed outside to get in position to throw rice at them when they came out. There was plenty of it on the sidewalk from the two weddings that took place.

Blanca and Gabriel have been together for fifteen years and have three daughters. She evidently joined the church earlier in her life, but Gabriel just recently became interested and had the missionaries teach him. One turning point was about six weeks ago when he came to church and attended priesthood meeting where Elder Kroff was giving the lesson. He came up to him after and said that was the best lesson he had ever heard. Then that night he came to the fireside for the missionaries who were leaving and heard the testimonies and a sermon from President Argyle. After the meeting, he came up to Rich and said, "This has been the best day of my life." From that time forth, he has been to church and had set his baptism date. But, first he had to get married. His baptism is on Saturday.

The Argyles left for the airport at 7:00 to pick up the Gulbrandsens whose plane was landing at 7:50 a.m., but it didn't arrive until around 10:00. We knew that would alter the arriving time at our office. After showing them around the mission home, having lunch, and instructing them on a list of things they needed to know, they were going to bring them to the office at 2:00. But it ended up being around 4:00.

We were all antsy and nervous during the wait. Rich said it was like Christmas morning when the kids were little waiting for them to wake up. I couldn't work, in fact, no one was accomplishing very much. Our anxiety was not only because someone new was coming to lead us, but we would have to say goodbye to the Argyles.

In they all walked, and the Gulbrandsens made their way around to all of us greeting us warmly. They are outgoing, friendly, and definitely made good first impressions.

Shortly after, the Argyles came to each of us with the President hugging the elders tightly, and Sister Argyle hugging me. Tears watered our eyes and expressions of love and gratitude were spoken. Oh, how we will miss them!! We, and the Gulbrandsens, walked them out to the car and watched them drive away. The combi was coming to pick them up at the mission home at 5:00 to take them to the airport for their 9:30 departure to Dallas, TX. and then on to Salt Lake, getting home at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

The President and his wife sat down with all of us which included the assistants, and the office staff and we talked for about 45 minutes. They are warm and fuzzy sort of people, very bubbly and truly happy to be here. We discussed the upcoming Meet the Missionary conferences which are scheduled for Saturday for four zones, and Monday for the other four zones. Each day there will be two meeting in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Surprising to us, he told Elder Kroff and I that they would like us to be at both conferences, if our schedules would permit and if we would like to come. Well, of course! Our office needed to pick up the sandwiches and fruit and bottled water to take for the lunch in-between sessions. It was almost decided that Elders Peterson and Hales would do that errand on Saturday morning, but now we could be the ones to take it if we are going anyway.

The President gave words of counsel and wisdom and it was evident that he has definite ideas and inspiration as to what he wants to accomplish as president of the mission. We think they will be great leaders.

One of the things he will do regularly and is right up his alley, is to go out teaching with the elders. Mission Presidents do this now when time permits, but some changes forthcoming from the Council of the Twelve will free up more time for this to be implemented on a more regular basis. Tonight, however, he wanted to go out with the Assistants and meet people. Isn't he tired?

So while he went one way, we took Sister Gulbrandsen with us to go buy the fruit for the two conferences Saturday and Monday. Then, we would drop her off home. Friday is a holiday and everything will be closed, so tonight was the only time to shop. She wanted to go with us to see where this fruit market is that Sister Argyle always goes to in San Isidro.

Finding it was a joke!! We have been there before, so we know how to do it by train, but finding it in the dark and by car was a nightmare. Finally we did and were successful in buying apples, oranges, and bananas. Then we dropped Sister Gulbrandsen off at the mission home and went in for a tour of the new bedroom and bathroom that just got completed the day before. It is beautiful!! Those lucky people!

When we were dropping the car off at the office, the assistants and the President walked up. When we told him that we had purchased the fruit, but forgot to buy the paper plates and had to return to Papel Nort which is close to the mission home, he came with us for a ride home. The assistants were going to take him home after they completed one more discussion in the chapel. I think he was glad we were there so he could call it a night. Weariness had caught up with him.

We dropped him off home and proceeded to find the paper goods store. The traffic was INSANE at that time of night, and when we drove past the store, it was closed. We, then, realized that we could just buy the plates on Saturday morning before we went to the conference. Good Idea! Let's get home and out of this madhouse. We walked in a 9:30 completely exhausted and spent. No dinner tonight, just a piece of toast.

Our minds went directly to the Argyles whose plane was scheduled to leave at 9:30, hoping they were okay as the plane left the country they have come to love.